A Farmer Saw A Hole In A Rock, What He Found Inside Amazed The Entire World
LifeBuzz I Nature
Just when you think everything has been seen and discovered in the world, we are surprised to find an unexplored and completely intact location. In 1991, a young farmer named Ho Khanh ventured deep into the forest of Phong Nha Ke Bang, Vietnam looking for aloe to sell. Along the way, Khanh got lost. When he sat down to rest, he heard the sounds of strong winds and water rushing through, but felt it came from underground. When he returned the next day, he was unable to retrace his steps to the uncharted area.
It would be another 18 years before Khanh and the British Cave Research Association set out to find the subterranean area. They did not realize at the time that he had discovered the largest cave in the world. Now, adventure photographer Ryan Deboodt is sharing the beauty and splendor of this hidden treasure.
The entrance to Hang Son Doong is relatively small and unassuming, hiding an enormous world inside it.
Dolines, a natural enclosed depression, allow for sunlight to illuminate the caves, creating the perfect setting for vegetation growth.
Underground rivers can be heard from above. Hang Son Doong is located in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
Measuring as high as 80 meters, the world's tallest stalagmites are found in this grotto. In 2010, it was determined Hang Son Doong to be the largest ever discovered in the size of its cross-section.
Referred to as the Garden of Edam, the cave measures 200 meters wide, 150 meters high, and approximately nine kilometres long.
The cave stretches more than five kilometres (three miles) long and reaches heights of 200 meters (650 feet). To put it in perspective, the main cavern of Hang Son Doong is large enough to house an entire New York City block.